Background
Atsumori Taira was born in 1169. He was the son of Tsunemori.
敦盛 平
Atsumori Taira was born in 1169. He was the son of Tsunemori.
This gallant young warrior was killed at the early age of 15 by Naozane Kumagai after the castle of Ichinotani had been captured by the army of the Genjis.
On being captured he gave his treasured flute, Aoba-no fue (flute of green leaves) to his captor, Naozane, who beheaded him. Naozane having had a son of the same age as Atsumori was so pained in carrying out the execution and realizing the mutability of life abandoned the profession of a warrior and became a priest. This incident forms a famous episode in kabuki drama.